YSPOR Staff Alumni
Amie Charlie
First Nation Community Research Coordinator – Watson Lake
Amie joined the YSPOR team in September 2023. She is a member of the Gwich’in and Kaska Nations who was born and raised in Inuvik, Northwest Territories. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in International Development and is planning to apply to med school next year. Amie is passionate about community, sustainable business, and advocating for Indigenous rights. When Amie is not working, she enjoys beading, travelling, and spending time on the land with her family.
Mark Christopher
Research Assistant
Mark was born and raised in Waterloo, Ontario. He holds Bachelor of Science with a major in Human Kinetics and a minor in Nutrition from the University of Guelph, where he also played five seasons of varsity rugby. Mark relocated to Whitehorse, joining the YSPOR team in August 2022. Mark supports research projects and YSPOR core team operations. In his spare time Mark enjoys spending time with friends, going to the gym, hiking, attending the Whitehorse Integrated Community Drum Circle and coaching Whitehorse youth rugby. Mark is attending medical school at the University of British Columbia.
Students supported by YSPOR
Anna Billowits
Masters Practicum Student
Anna Billowits joined YSPOR in January 2023 as a Masters of Public Health practicum student. Anna completed two practicum terms at YSPOR, working on data policies, building relationships with Yukon organizations, assisting other YSPOR initiatives, and creating resources to support appropriate research. She also collaborated on a scoping review of health-related research in the Yukon. Anna will move forward knowing the value of taking the time to support community-led research projects that improve health outcomes for all.
Ayden Harrison
Undergraduate Student
Ayden joined YSPOR for experiential learning in summer of 2023 while completing her undergraduate in chemistry. She took part in the research study titled ‘What matters to clients of counselling services: What makes good counselling?’. The study aimed to determine what clients value when it comes to good counselling services instead of what counsellors think makes a good counselling service. Some of the skills developed during her time with YSPOR include her knowledge and application of the ethics review process and how to use the data collected in research papers to create the base for a survey.
Carolyn Belanger
Masters Practicum Student
Carolyn (she/her/hers) is Métis from amiskwaciwâskahikan (Edmonton) who visited Whitehorse for the summer of 2022 as a UBC, Masters of Public Health practicum student. She had the opportunity to work on literature reviews for research proposals which focused on Indigenous youth mental health. Carolyn’s main take away was the importance of collaborating with Indigenous communities in order to find solutions that are more context specific and lead to equitable healthcare for Yukon Indigenous patients.
Yabo Seid
Masters Practicum Student
Yabo joined YSPOR in the spring of 2023 for a practicum whilst pursuing her Masters in Public Health with Lakehead University. During her time with the unit, Yabo took part in a significant data scoping exercise to help YSPOR understand what health research has already occurred in the territory. In addition, she developed several new relationships with Non-Governmental Organizations on behalf of the unit.
Yeonseon Lee
Undergraduate Student
Yeonseon Lee joined YSPOR in summer of 2023 as a Junior Project Officer while concurrently pursuing her Bachelor of Health Sciences degree. During her time, Yeonseon worked on creating an instruction manual for summer students, as well as supporting other YSPOR initiatives including social media management and web content development. Yeonseon looks forward to deepening her involvement in public health, recognizing its vital role in promoting the health and wellness of her community.
Youth supported by YSPOR
Jem Titus
Junior Researcher
Jem joined YSPOR in May of 2023. When it comes to wellness, he’s been working with the youth in his community at the Kajit-in Zho since 2017. As a member of his community in Dawson City and citizen of Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in, he wants to support the next generation to grow and learn skills for the world ahead of them, from healthy activities to learning about natural medicines off the land. Jem is aware of the challenges that come with growing up and living in a small community. There is much knowledge that can be learned on the land and he’s looking forward to what more there is to learn.
Jarred Novoligak
Junior Project Officer
Jarred started working with YSPOR in summer of 2023. He enjoys bringing people together for larger conversations and providing opportunities to be involved to those who otherwise may not get a chance to be a part of change. Though he is now pursuing his own studies in Alberta, Jarred remains a part of the YSPOR team whenever he is back in the Territory.
Atticus Baker
Junior Researcher
Atticus started working with YSPOR in June 2023. He is interested in the role healthy activities, and in particular physical exercise, plays in health and community wellness. Atticus has begun a research project on the topic in his town of Pelly Crossing.